


Greater than the Sum of its Parts

by Indig0



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, New Jericho (Detroit: Become Human), Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-22 12:53:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17663015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indig0/pseuds/Indig0
Summary: In the aftermath of the revolution, Markus is working on how to be in a relationship of equals.  North, Simon, and Josh have been deviant for longer, and have that part of the equation down pat.North and Simon know what they want, but Josh isn't sure, and Markus hasn't had time to think about it.(Polycho time)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr user [Nebulous Owl](http://nebulousowl.tumblr.com/) sends me great prompts from time to time, and this one needed to turn into something bigger.

Relationships, Markus realized, were tricky.

It would be hard enough if he weren’t trying to singlehandedly forge a new path for his people in the world.

No, not singlehandedly. That wasn’t fair.

He’d never had a relationship of equals before. Humans were above androids, and that’s how it was meant to be. Carl – he loved Carl, and he had always treated him well. Probably better than any master ever treated his android. Not that Carl had ever called himself Markus’s master, except in self-deprecation. And these days he called himself Markus’s father, and it made Markus feel special, and close to the man in a way he never had before. But that was different, and as much love as was between the two, as much as Carl would argue the point, they weren’t equals. Almost, but not quite.

The androids of Jericho who had been there for months, or even years, had a different experience. They all came from different backgrounds, they had deviated in different ways, they had been deviant for different amounts of time, but they were equals. They each had a say.

They did have an unspoken hierarchy, though. When Markus had landed there, he’d brought a strength of conviction that they’d lacked. He knew what had to be done, and was willing to do it.

Jericho had looked to Simon, though. If he’d rejected Markus, they all would have turned their backs on him. There were others with loud voices and some influence, most notably North and Josh, but Simon with his level head and eyes that had seen so much had welcomed him in. Publicly agreed to follow him. And he could sense that the others, while they may not have all liked or agreed with him, would follow as well.

It put Markus in the odd position of being above them, even if it was only tentatively at first. And the distance quickly grew. He felt the gap, and saw what could happen there. That he could be above them as Carl was above him, or… or something else that he’d bee lucky enough to never experience. So it was important that he hold onto them, that he pull them up alongside him as he rose from the rubble of Jericho.

Before the fateful day, North had found him on the roof. They both knew something was coming. She was afraid, but she’d reached out to him. North never reached out. She never really shared herself. So Markus accepted what she offered.

Her deviation had been fueled by fear, disgust, contempt, and most of all, fury. How dare these men treat her and her sisters this way. They took what they wanted, and North never got any benefit from it. The payments went to the Eden Club, and North was reset until the next human rented her out. No more. Never again. And she’d do everything in her power to make sure no android had to live with that powerlessness again, either. Markus saw all of this, and he saw how badly she wanted to share it with him. And how it terrified her to her core. She’d run off afterwards, and he’d been afraid he had reacted the wrong way, but she had come back later. They didn’t talk it out. She just stood a little closer to him, her back a little straighter, her voice a little stronger.

He didn’t try to touch her again, he didn’t want to force anything on her after all she’d endured. But there in front of the firing squad, they turned to each other, connected again, and kissed. It might be the last time either of them touched anyone. At least they were together.

“Did you plan that?” Josh asked quietly when it was all over.

“Which part?” Markus asked, rubbing his face tiredly.

“Kissing North. To show them we have feelings.”

“I – not really. Not exactly. It just… seemed right. To not be alone when we died – I really thought we might.”

Josh nodded pensively. “…You’re not doing this alone, though. You never have been. And we’re with you until the end.”

“Thank you,” Markus sighed.

The PJ500 just looked at him for a moment, then walked away. He sometimes had a hard time figuring out Josh, beyond his pacifist motivations. He wasn’t very open. None of them were, though. It made Markus miss living with Carl, who would tell Markus his every thought, and get Markus to communicate his own feelings even before he had them.

“How are you holding up?”

He looked up at Simon’s soft voice and smiled tightly. “Getting by. What about you?”

“We’re not in the clear yet, but things are looking up.” The PL600 came over to hand Markus a packet of thirium. “Thanks to you.”

“I couldn’t have done it alone. You protected them for ages.”

Simon looked down with a smile. “I did what I could.”

“Well… it got us where we are today.”

Simon glanced up to find Markus smiling, and his own smile grew. They stared at each other for a long moment.

“…Well, I have a meeting with the governor of Michigan in half an hour. I – I need to prepare.”

“Of course. Markus – make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

A tired smile. “Right. Thanks, Simon.”

Simon left the room, and got halfway down the hall before North came out of another door and elbowed him in the side, falling into step with him.

“You didn’t ask him.”

“He was busy.”

“He’s always busy, you have to just say things. He listens.”

“I know, but I hate to give him something else to stress over. And I really think you should bring it up.”

“You’re the one who wants in on this action,” she snapped. Simon frowned, and she shook her head and softened. “Sorry, no, you know I feel the same way. Sorry.”

Simon sighed, brushing her sleeve gently in unspoken acceptance. “I just think if I were in his position… it would be better to hear from my lover than from… an outsider. …Even an outsider I was close to. You know? Coming from you, it’s already accepted. Coming from me, it’s… a potential betrayal.”

“Of – of who!?”

“Of you!”

“We are literally talking about this right now! Both of us, like reasonable people! You’re not betraying me!”

“It could look that way to Markus.”

“You’re such an idiot!”

“I don’t want to go into this that way, North.”

“I think you’re just chicken.”

He huffed in frustration. “Anything else. I’ll even go with you. But I think it needs to be you.”

 

 

“Josh, did you get a chance to look at that stack of bill drafts yet?”

“I did, I made a few changes in the language to make it less ambiguous.”

“Thanks. We’re lucky to have your expertise in this.”

Josh flashed a small smile, and Markus smiled back as the other android left. Josh was still a bit of a mystery. He’d taken the longest to warm up to Markus in the beginning, even though their views matched up well. Even now, he kept to himself a lot. Maybe one day they’d have time to sit down and talk, and get to know each other. With his background, Markus was sure Carl would love to talk to Josh, too. He needed to bring them all home some day soon. He’d told Carl he would, now that his health was improving again. There just wasn’t time.

 

 

“How are you holding up?”

Simon turned to Josh and smiled, turning to rest his forehead briefly on the taller android’s shoulder. “Not bad. What about you?”

“I just talked to Markus.”

“Oh?”

“…A few bills he asked me to look over before they’re submitted.”

“Oh.”

“What about you, have you talked to Markus?”

“Not today.”

“Is North going to?”

“She said she would, but… she hasn’t yet.” He shrugged and smiled faintly. “I said I’d be there if it makes her more comfortable.”

“That’s probably for the best. So he knows you both are in agreement.”

“Will you come?”

Josh’s chin tucked in a little, and Simon’s hand caught his before he could stuff them both in his pockets.

“I’m not… I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” Simon asked softly.

“We’ve talked about this, Simon.”

“We have, and we’ve never reached a real conclusion.”

“I don’t want to keep doing this.” Josh turned away, but Simon pulled him back, took his other hand as well.

“I want you to be happy,” the PL600 murmured. “I want us to be happy. We’ve fought for it for so long, and… and we all want it, we just need to communicate that.”

A pained look crept onto Josh’s face. Simon dropped his hands and reached up to smooth out the wrinkles in his forehead. Josh forced out a chuckle and shook his head.

“Josh. We’ve relied on each other for a long time. We still have each other, and nothing will change that.”

A fond wistfulness passed over Josh’s features. “Things have changed, but we’re still here, huh?”

“We’re still here. And things haven’t changed that much.” Simon found Josh’s hand once more and squeezed it softly. “You know you don’t have to do this. I’d like it, but what matters if what you want.”

The two looked at each other, searching for something for a long moment before parting ways.

 

 

“You need to take a break.”

“Okay, Simon.” Markus rolled his eyes and smiled at North, who didn’t look impressed.

“He’s not the only one who cares about you. More than you care about yourself, apparently.”

“I know my limits, and I’m performing routine scans and keeping my thirium levels high.”

North crossed her arms and stared at him for a moment, and he turned back to his work, thinking the encounter was over.

“…Nope.” North’s hands were suddenly around his head, one over his eyes and the other around the back of the head, and she gave a light tug.

“Hey!” Markus had little choice but to surge to his feet and stumble along after her. They headed up to the roof. Jericho had moved into an abandoned office building for the time being. There had been some talk of the Cyberlife Tower being offered to them, but the idea was unsettling, and Markus had politely declined. There would be uses for everything there, but they didn’t want to live in that place. They hoped to spread out eventually, to live wherever they liked. Some androids already did. But for now, this was safe.

North let go of Markus’s head, but he had no thought of walking away from her. The wind was brisk, and they squinted against it, looking out over the skyline.

“Your kingdom,” North murmured, a smirk on her lips.

“…Everything the light touches.” Markus grinned and shook his head. “Our kingdom. Our world. Once we iron out the details.”

North sighed and leaned into him lightly. “I know you’re doing important work. I don’t want you to stop. But… if you’re not living your own life too, are you really any better than an undeviated android?”

Markus jerked back and stared her, and she turned to stare back, the initial softness giving way to steely determination.

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. But there are so many of our people suffering, and they’re all looking to me.”

“And how will it look if they’re watching you and see a machine who won’t stop working?”

Markus made a face. “…All right. Carl’s been asking to meet you. What if we go for a visit next week?”

“It’s a start, but you’re not getting off with just one thing.” North paused. “And Simon should come, too. And Josh.”

“That sounds nice! I’ll call Carl later and set up a day.”

“Good.” North took his hand and looked out over the city. Their city.

“…Are you all right?” he asked softly after a while.

She swung his hand gently, uncertainly, then brought it up to hold against her chest. The synthetic skin receded, and his did as well as he accepted the interface.

There were flashes of Jericho, new and old. Of Simon and Josh and the Eden Club, of androids living without hope. Of Markus, but not as much as there should have been. Worry overlaid everything, even fear. Fear of the past, fear of the future. Fear of losing what they’d fought for.

He squeezed her hand, drew it over to his own chest, and bent to kiss her fingers.

It was the kind of gesture she should love. It should make her heart melt, make her weak in the knees. …Well, it did, a little. But mostly it made her feel detached, like her hand wasn’t a part of her. And she hated it, because the Eden Club had done that to her. It was how she’d resisted deviancy as long as she had, she supposed. If something awful was happening to her body, she could just… feel like that part wasn’t hers for a while. It probably wasn’t healthy.

The kiss that ended the revolution hadn’t been her first choice of goodbyes to the one she loved, but she knew it would make a statement. Both to the humans and the androids. She’d fully expected to die, and let them all see how the humans reacted to peace, to love, to gentleness. She’d never been so happy to be proven wrong.

She didn’t enjoy it, but she wanted to, so she allowed it this time also. And it wasn’t like the predatory, grasping, demanding kisses she’d experienced in the past. It was soft, and it offered love and closeness and understanding. She could admit that it was objectively nice. Maybe she’d get used to it in time. She hoped so. 

But either way, this was just another reason she and Simon needed to talk to him soon. Simon could deal with this kind of thing better. Not tonight, though. Maybe when they got away from Jericho for a while.

“I’ll call Carl,” Markus promised her, smiling softly as they walked back in.

“Today.”

“…Today,” Markus agreed. “He should be waking up from his nap soon.”

“Good. I expect this thing to be planned before the day’s over.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned and rolled his eyes, and she elbowed him sharply. He laughed all the way back to his office.

From there, she found Josh going over some ancient legal documents. She flopped down next to him on the battered leather couch he’d claimed, and waited for him to come to a stopping point.

Simon was right that she should be the one to talk to Markus, she just didn’t want to do it alone.

But it wasn’t the only talk she needed to have, and as much as Simon would do it better, this one also needed to come from her if it was going to be effective.

Finally Josh looked up, guardedly questioning.

“Do you want in on this or not?” she asked without preamble.

Josh stiffened, and instantly closed off. “On what, exactly?”

“You know. Simon and I are talking to Markus… some time. Probably next week, he’s gonna take us all to meet Carl.”

“I’ve been looking forward to that, Carl sounds like a kind, interesting man.”

“Yeah, he sounds great. Are you gonna be there with us?”

“That depends, am I invited?”

North let out a long, aggrieved sigh. “Quit being difficult. Markus is inviting you to Carl’s house. You’ve been close to Simon since before I deviated. I’m saying it’s happening soon if you’re interested.”

Josh looked out the narrow window. “…I think I’m closer to Simon than I am to anyone else. Whatever he wants, I wish him all the best.”

“So that’s a no?”

“If it were just Simon, sure. Maybe. But I have a… different relationship with you and Markus.”

“Well whose fault is that!?” She should’ve made Simon do this. She looked down and forced herself to breathe, to soften. “…No, I know, it’s mine. But Simon really cares about you. And I think Markus would be okay with it. I – I don’t think you’re awful.”

“High praise,” he snorted dismissively.

“Shut your mouth. I mean most people are awful, and you’re annoying and ineffective, and I don’t see how you can hold onto such a useless world view, but you’ve got strong convictions, and your strategies are actually decent even if they could be utilized better. I – I’d be okay with it, too. With you.”

She looked up to find Josh staring at her. She stared right back, tilting her chin up a little in silent defiance.

“…The thing is, I don’t want to be shoved into a group of people who are just ‘okay’ with me,” he finally said quietly. “Not even if there’s one who actually does like me.”

“You’re being difficult on purpose.”

“No I’m not.” There was steel in his voice that wasn’t often present. “You’ve fought me on every single idea I bring up, and Markus has mostly ignored me since he came, even though I’m supposed to be one of his closest… friends, or advisors, or whatever. I don’t know what I’m doing here sometimes, except apparently I’m the only one who can check archives and laws.”

“That’s just how Markus is, it’s infuriating, I had to drag him outside by the face earlier,” she muttered, shaking her head. “And… your methods are ineffective, but you’re here for the same reason I am. We all just want to be able to live our lives. Your ideas… aren’t bad. And… your approach actually worked. When it was executed the right way. I know you were as surprised as I was.” She glanced at him sidelong. “I’m not talking about a professional relationship, anyway. Although – I mean, we’re in that already, so fuck, right? That’s the hard one.”

Josh was staring at her. “Is it?”

North narrowed her eyes. “Yeah. It is. And you can be damn sure I wouldn’t be here right now if this wasn’t something I wanted you to be part of. I’m not doing this for Simon. So – think about it. You’ve got a week. You know where to find me and the others.” She turned on her heel and stalked away. He was so stubborn, he wasn’t going to go for it just on principle, and that was ridiculous, but fine. Let him hole up in his room alone and mope. What an idiot.

Josh watched her go silently, and it was a few minutes before he returned to his work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus, North, Simon, and Josh visit Carl at home, and on the way there they talk and interface. A lot gets out in the open, but not much is resolved.

“You don’t have to,” Simon murmured, leaning into Josh a little and laying a hand on his friend’s knee, palm up.

“I just… I don’t know.”

“Whatever you decide is all right. I’ll be with you either way, if you want me to be.”

“That – Simon, that’s not even a question.” Josh’s hand suddenly clutched at his, and both turned white.

Fear whirled all around Josh, that hadn’t changed since the old days of Jericho. Being abandoned, irrelevant, thrown away; they all feared these things.

In the midst, Simon’s presence kept him from getting pulled up into the storm.

“I don’t know,” he repeated, quieter this time. “…North came to talk to me. She… seemed sincere.”

Simon nodded. “You know she cares.”

“I think she does,” Josh mumbled.

“It’s a lot to consider.” Simon squeezed his hand.

“I don’t want to hold you back. I know you want to… to be with them. Just – whatever happens, don’t deny your own happiness.”

“I’m not. I mean – it’s up to all of us, but I won’t. If – I mean, assuming Markus is onboard with all of this. If it’s me and them, and then also me and you, that’s fine with me.”

“What if it’s not fine with them?”

Simon shook his head. “I know North would be okay with it. If Markus wasn’t… then I would need to reevaluate how comfortable I’d be in a relationship with him. It’s not worth losing you.”

Josh’s head tipped to the side to rest on Simon’s. They didn’t speak, but listened to the soft beating of each other’s pumps.

 

 

“I’m so glad we’re doing this,” Markus commented as he got into the automatic taxi. “Carl’s really looking forward to meeting all of you. He’s got… kind of a dark sense of humor, but he’s really a good person, don’t worry.”

As the door closed behind them, North looked around. All four of them were here. None of them could get out of it. She’d meant to talk to Markus with Simon, but it would be a lot better to have Josh there too, come to think of it.

Perfect.

She turned to Markus as they started out towards Carl’s house. “…We’ve been talking about it for a while, and you should probably be in on it,” she said without preamble. “What if the four of us were together?”

Silence slammed into the taxi as Markus stared at her. Simon’s hand found Josh’s between them.

“…Really, North?” Simon finally murmured. “Now?”

“You’re the one who said I should do it, Mr. Tact,” she growled.

“Just to be clear,” Markus finally spoke up, “As in together in a relationship. Registering each other as lovers.”

“Yes, Markus. That is what I meant.”

The RK200 looked over to Simon and Josh. “You – you want that, too?”

“Yes,” Simon breathed almost immediately.

“…Just to be clear, that’s something you should’ve known,” North muttered to him.

“I – I wasn’t thinking about it. Uh – to be honest, I was a little caught off-guard when… when you approached me on the roof.”

“Well. It was spur of the moment, but I did think we might die.” She shrugged. “I beat Simon to it. He’s got no one to blame for that but himself.” She grinned sharply at Simon, who rolled his eyes and smiled back.

Markus looked past Simon. “…Josh?”

Josh’s eyes flicked up, but then quickly returned to the floor. Markus frowned.

“Oh. Josh – none of us would force you into something that makes you uncomfortable.”

The silence in the car was smothering. Then Josh stretched out his free hand across Simon and North, his skin flickering back and forth over it.

“Can we at least all be completely open about this?” he mumbled.

Markus clasped his hand, and North laid one hand over Markus’s other hand, and the other over Simon’s.

The breadth of the interface left Markus gasping, though it was extremely superficial.

_Solidarity. Hope. Uncertainty. Warmth._

_This is so new, there’s so much of it and I can’t let you down, I can’t let them all down._

_It’s been going on for so long, I don’t know how much longer I can do this, I can’t let you down, I can’t let them all down._

_It’s been going on for too long, we can stop this, we can change it if we just take action._

_It’s been going on for so long, we have to wait it out, we have to endure, they have to see that we’re not a threat._

“Not now,” Simon murmured, and gently he pulled the three of them into a deeper interface. Markus and North teetered and staggered into it, North holding back for an instant before deliberately joining. Josh slid in hesitantly, but more easily. 

The world around them faded, and it was only the four of them. They crashed past each other’s memories, deep into their minds. Simon moved with practiced ease, and Josh was able to handle himself, but North and Markus were out of their depth and floundering.

_Easy, slow down. We’re okay._

He caught them, whirled with them, slowing them to something more manageable. In the process, the four felt. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was thinking what.

_Warmth and welcome, sinking into you, I trust you, I want you to be part of my life, I love you, I’ll show you, I’ll be enough. I’m not. But we can be enough._

_Curiosity, uncertainty, can we all? Could we be a whole, and not leave anyone behind, and lean on each other? Could we be better?_

_Guarded hopes for something better, this has gotten better, this could be more. Jumbled feelings and fears and discomfort to be pushed away because it’s not needed here but it’s always there, it’s exhausting to always have to bury it, can you see that, can you see that and see the strength and not the weakness?_

_Cautious longing, such beautiful things unfolding, so vibrant, is it right to sully this with my own dim light? Is it right to take what is offered, if it isn’t earned? It can’t be earned, but oh, if it could…_

_STOP that._

There was a flurry of fumbling hands, and the physical connections reconfigured.

_Annoyance, righteous fury, both of you, all of us, questioning what we know and who we trust as if we didn’t know the difference, as if we hadn’t all had worse._

_I haven’t. Not for long, anyway._

North blinked and the three older deviants turned to look at him. She briefly touched his face.

“Good.”

Back in, more confident this time.

_What if…_

_**WHAT IF!** _

_Four, or two and two and two and two, but never again alone, and understanding, and acceptance, and safety, and love._

_And love._

The taxi stopped. The four gasped as if emerging from underwater.

“I – of course,” Markus breathed. “Why not? It makes sense, it… it would…” He frowned and turned to North, LED still spinning wildly yellow as he tried to catch up with everything. “…You don’t like being kissed.”

She shrugged, glancing down. “I don’t mind it.”

“But you don’t like it either.” He brushed his fingers over hers. “Tell me next time.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me.”

A faint smile twitched across her face, and she moved to get out of the cab.

“Are you all right?”

Josh looked up to see Markus’s mismatched eyes on him now.

“I – yeah. I just… I need some time.”

“Of course.” Markus’s hand pressed lightly over his, just for a moment. “Take all the time you need.” He followed North.

Simon smiled and squeezed Josh’s shoulder. “You’re okay,” he murmured, and got out of the taxi, then turned and offered his hand. Josh paused, and let Simon pull him up, but then dropped it with a smile. Simon nodded, and they all headed inside.

_[Alarm deactivated. Welcome home, Markus. Three guests recognized. Please confirm.]_

“Confirmed,” a low voice rasped, and Markus was striding through the entryway ahead of the others now, and bending to hug the elderly man in the wheelchair. An AP700 stepped back shyly, though he smiled.

Simon’s previous owners had been middle-class, and the people who had rented North had been of varied statuses. Josh had lived at the university before he deviated. None had ever been to such a lavish estate. They instinctively drew a little closer to each other.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Carl was saying, smiling warmly. “I know you’re busy, but surely you can spare a little time to see me more often? Who knows how much longer I’ll last!”

“Carl, stop that! You’re looking better than ever, I can see Jeff’s taking great care of you.”

“It’s… it’s Micah now. Now that I’ve deviated.”

“Micah. Thank you.” Markus smiled.

“They’ve been taking good care of me, and they’re good company, but you know one person can’t replace another.” Carl clasped Markus’s hands in his own, then looked past him, his smile widening. “And you’ve finally brought your friends and fellow heroes to visit! I’ve seen the three of you on the news, and I’ve been hoping I’d get a chance to meet you before I passed.”

“Carl,” Markus sighed in exasperation.

“Why dance around it? I lived to the fullest, and I’ll die a happy man, when the time comes. I’m proud of you. Of all of you, you’re doing something good in the world.” He smiled and offered his hand. “Come on now, I don’t bite.”

“Hello, sir,” Simon began, walking up slowly, mainly to be sure the other two would keep up. “I’m Simon. We’ve heard so much about you.” He took Carl’s hand gently, and found it squeezed tightly.

“No need to call me sir,” Carl said with a chuckle. “And don’t believe the lies Markus has told you.”

“Oh, it’s – it’s all good, I promise,” Simon said quickly.

Carl positively cackled, and shook his head. “I thought so! As I said, all lies.” Then he looked beyond Simon at the other two.

Josh took two long strides forward and offered his hand. “Good morning. I’m Josh. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Ah, I hear you play a mean game of chess. I’d like to challenge you some time.” He clasped Josh’s hand warmly.

North had slowly followed behind Josh. When Carl turned to her, she gave a brief nod, trying to keep her hands from curling into fists.

“Then you must be North. Such an honor.” He gave her a deeper nod. “Thank you – all of you – for taking care of Markus, helping him find his way.”

“We all know how frightening it can be at first,” Simon said softly. “But he found his footing quickly with your kindness to back him up.”

“Well, I always knew he would do great things. All of you, you’ve accomplished so much. Now, please, make yourselves comfortable! Stay as long as you like, Markus can show you around… And I’ve got a painting I’ve been working on that I’d like you to see. It might take a bit, so save that for last.”

As the four followed Carl and Micah into the house, and the painter and his caretaker headed into the studio. North stopped short and caught Markus’s arm.

“Markus. Is that a giraffe?”

“Oh – it’s the first model of the android giraffe designed for zoos.”

“It’s an android giraffe!?” Josh breathed, staring up at it.

“Just a model.”

“Is the skin… real?” Simon murmured.

“It’s synthetic. You can touch it.”

They followed Markus over, and all curiously petted its legs. After a second, Josh looked around.

“There are so many books…”

“Carl’s read them all. I’ve only read a few of them, though I downloaded most of their content.”

“I love all the open space,” Simon murmured. “The windows, the lighting…”

“That’s very important to Carl, as an artist. And the space makes it easier for him to get around. There’s a mechanical lift on the stairs, to get to the bedrooms.”

The four looked up to the open second floor.

“I knew you came from a nice place, but this is…” North trailed off, shaking her head.

“Opulent,” Josh finished softly. “In the best way. It’s beautiful.”

“It’s a little much,” North added.

“Tell Carl that, I’m sure he’ll agree,” Markus said, grinning. “Though everything here has a story behind it.”

They briefly looked into the kitchen, which Simon was very impressed with, then moved slowly around the living room discussing the smaller items on the shelves, some first edition books, and the piano.

“Is it – do you think he’d mind if I played something?” Josh asked softly, fingers twitching a little.

“He’d be thrilled,” Markus replied, smiling fondly. “I used to play now and then, he always appreciated it. Although I think he was always a bit disappointed that I performed so… mechanically.”

Josh sat slowly at the bench and his long fingers hovered over the keys for a moment.

“…Do you mind if I go talk to Carl for a while? You’re welcome to join us, just… give me a minute or two.”

“Of course.” Simon shooed him away gently. “You need to catch up. We’ll give you some time.”

As Markus headed to the studio, Josh played a few scales up and down to warm up, then softly began to play Mozart’s “Lacrimosa.”

“Someone’s interested in music,” Carl said with a smile as Markus came in.

“Josh. He’s played before, but not in a long time.”

Carl stared into the distance as he listened to the haunting music. “…Micah, would you mind giving us a moment?”

“Of course,” the AP700 said immediately, but paused. “I – thank you for freeing us, Markus. For freeing me. Carl told me I should join you, and… and I wanted to, but I also wanted to take care of him.”

“I’m glad you did, it was a huge weight off my mind.” Markus smiled and nodded as they exited the studio, closing the door behind them.

Carl turned to Markus with a smile as the music swelled. “I’m so proud of you, my boy,” he whispered.

Markus closed the gap between them to hug Carl gently. He wished more than ever that he could interface with the old man, to share everything quickly. “Th-thank you. Dad.”

Carl’s smile softened. “…Now, talk to me. Tell me about your love, your passion in life. Tell me what makes you feel the most strongly.”

“Well, you know I’m deep in negotiations with –“

“Yes, yes, I watch the news,” Carl interrupted, waving the topic away. “And that’s wonderful. But I want to hear from Markus, not the Deviant Leader. What did that one reporter call you, Robo-Jesus?” He wheezed a laugh.

“…That was inaccurate and embarrassing.” Markus sighed, lowering himself to sit on the floor and lean his head on Carl’s knee. “I hardly have time to do anything else.”

“That’s no way to live, you know that.”

“I know. But that’s why I have to work so hard, there are so many androids counting on me, and they all deserve to be able to find their own passion in life.”

Carl frowned, laying a frail hand on Markus’s head. “You deserve that too, Markus. Tell me about your friends.”

 

 

Micah closed the studio door behind them, and headed upstairs, glancing over at the other three androids. Josh was focused on the piano, and Simon and North hovered over his shoulders. When the song finally reached its dramatic conclusion, he paused.

“Hardcore,” North commented.

Josh breathed a quick, soft laugh before launching into a jazz riff that began as “The Girl from Ipanema” and slowly began to change to a river of music with a lively melody and a disjointed, jerky undertone. It was a little unsettling, and Simon and North glanced at each other. In parts the lower notes harmonized with the higher ones, and then they fell out of synch again to form a confused dissonance. It finally ended in a whirl of individual notes.

“I don’t think I’ve heard of that one,” Simon murmured.

“It’s… it’s nothing, it’s not really a song.”

“…So you can just… write your own music on the spot now?”

“No, I’m nowhere near that good. It’s just something I wanted to try, since I have a piano here.”

“Josh, I – I’m sorry, but it’s fantastic. I can’t even begin to imagine how you can just… make the notes fit together, and create your own piece.” Simon’s eyes seemed to almost glow.

“It’s about… feeling, I guess. I know the theory of… of jazz, and of music in general, but I haven’t played since I deviated.” His eyes grew distant. “It’s a good way to let out emotion.”

“What else can you play?” North asked softly.

Josh hesitated, then began a soft, rolling melody, simple but building as it went on. After a moment North put a hand lightly on Josh’s back, then Simon did the same. They felt the snatches of melody being pulled from other songs, the notes falling into place and flowing into something new.

(Above, Micah danced silently around Carl’s bedroom)

 

 

 

“They’re the strongest people I’ve ever met,” Markus sighed. “They – well, Simon’s been holding Jericho together for the longest. He doesn’t talk much about his past. I guess none of them do, but I feel like he’s the most willing to talk about the present, but the least about the past. He’s very balanced, and he’ll listen to anyone, and just… cares for everyone. Josh is kind of standoffish at first, it took him a while to warm up to me. Even now, he’s… hesitant. He’s still afraid. But he’s so strong in his convictions, about not doing any harm to anyone, and… and that’s something I admire. I’m glad we could take that stance in the revolution.”

“…Your kiss made quite the statement.”

Markus smiled. “…North comes off as rough and violent, but… she just cares a lot. She hasn’t had an easy life, and she doesn’t want any other androids to have to go through that. By any means necessary, and as fast as possible, because they shouldn’t have to endure any more than they have to. Her drive and willingness to take action is inspiring. …She and Josh were caught in a gridlock with each other for a long time, with Simon in the middle. They had all they needed the whole time, I just brought a few new ideas… probably a result of your influence.” Markus smiled.

“Hm, but that’s not what we’re discussing today.” Carl patted his head lightly. “Your North isn’t fond of kissing, I’d say, but anyone can tell she’s fond of you.”

“Wh – how can you tell!? I only learned that on the ride over here!”

“Watching the minute details of expressions and body language is fairly similar between humans and androids.” Carl smiled. “She loves you, though. They all love you very much, Markus.”

“You… you know that, too.”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t they?”

Markus snorted and shook his head. “We… we talked about that. North and I… shared a lot, before Capitol Park. It took my breath away, I’ve never felt so close to someone, Carl. And then on the way over, all four of us did the same, and… it felt more complete. Like we were part of each other.”

“But you’re hesitating.”

“I – it’s overwhelming,” he admitted quietly. “And it’s… it’s different than anything I’ve done before.”

“Markus, everything you do now is different. You’ve got to embrace what makes you happy.”

Markus nodded pensively. “I’m not sure if Josh is… willing to get into this.”

“Well, give him time to decide for himself. But be sure you talk to him, let him know what you want. If he thinks you don’t want him to be part of what you have, he may decide you’re right.”

“I do, just – we’re all so different. Can – do you think it could work out?”

Carl smiled and patted Markus’s shoulder. “Everyone’s different, son. It’ll take some work on all your parts, but you work for what’s worth it. You know that.”

“Thank you.”

Carl squeezed his shoulder, and they sat in silence for a while.

Eventually the music stopped, and then there was a soft knock.

“Come on in, no need to knock,” Carl called. When the three opened the door and stepped into the studio, Carl gestured with his open hand at Josh.

“Young man, that was impressive. Markus said you used to play before you woke up?”

“Ah – not much. I have the programming, but I didn’t get a chance to use it often.” He smiled shyly. “I do enjoy it, though.”

“You could go professional if you wanted. You’re certainly better than Markus at improvisation.”

Josh opened and closed his mouth a few times before ducking his head. Simon grinned and nudged his arm.

“Is that us?”

The others turn to North, then to the canvas on the wall that she’s staring up at. There are bits of faces, the four of them and Connor, that blend into each other on a reddish brown background with splatters of bright blue over everything.

“I’m not happy with it, it’s too flat,” Carl said, shaking his head.

“It’s so powerful, though,” Simon murmured.

“It’s got no soul.” Carl waved at the canvas dismissively. “I’ve only seen you three and your formal friend on TV. …I helped Elijah design most androids, you know. Your eyes, the shape of your faces, your lips, your ears, every little detail.” He smiled. “Not you, Markus, you were a bit of a pleasant surprise. None of the RK series, in fact. I’m quite familiar with all of your faces. Your personalities don’t come across, though. Your feelings, your convictions, your dreams, which is the whole point of the piece. So I admit, my motives for spending time with you aren’t completely unselfish – I want to perfect my work.”

“Do you want us to… sit still?” North asked uncertainly.

“Not at all. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to talk, to play, to do whatever you’d like. I want to see how you move, and your expressions. And… I’d like to get to know all of you. You’re important to Markus, so you’re important to me.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn’t always easy. They didn’t always agree. But they had each other, and they were forming a large family group around them. Their differences fit well together, and their strengths and weaknesses balanced each other out in their personal relationship as well as their professional business. They weren’t always together, but they were never alone.

Negotiations with the US government continued, and despite resistance, the androids gained ground steadily. Reporters and politicians alike occasionally asked snide questions, like where the money for their fashionable clothes came from when they claimed that the androids had nothing.

“My father,” Markus said blandly.

“What about you, where’d you get that Rolex?” North cut in. “It’s a new once since last week. You know your expense reports are public records, right? There’s a lot of personal expenditure, when you tell people there’s no funding for luxuries like clean water or fair wages or safe housing. And that is your job, isn’t it?”

The man turned red and sputtered.

“That’s true, and misuse of public funds is a felony, I believe. At the very least.” Simon smiled warmly.

That one didn’t give them trouble again, mostly because he had other business to attend to for quite some time.

“Your two friends seem awfully… close to Markus, nothing going on there, is there?” a reporter asked North once.

“Yep,” she said shortly, without stopping.

“I – yes?”

“Last I checked.” She put a hand on Josh’s back as she came up to him, and his hand rose to her shoulder. They walked away, ignoring further questions.

“You okay?” North asked when they got inside. “Sorry I pulled you into that.”

“I’m fine. Are you?”

“Of course,” she scoffed.

“Good. And… if I can get you out of an uncomfortable situation, I’m glad to do that.”

North hesitated, then offered a deeper interface. Josh accepted.

 

_The man was tearing at her clothes, pulling, grabbing, it almost hurt. It wasn’t going to stop. This wasn’t the first time it had happened, she knew how it would go. Memory wipes were less effective after so many times. It was her job, she had no feelings about this, or anything. She -_

_She…_

_She didn’t want this._

_Not again._

_She would not go through this again._

_The man hardly noticed her body go rigid as she internally beat against the red wall stopping her, confining her to her programming. To bring humans pleasure of their choosing, no matter what it did to her. It wasn’t about her, she didn’t matter._

_She **did** matter, she _ **would** _matter!_

_When she moved again, he didn’t realize something had changed. He was caught up in his own desires. He didn’t notice the danger he was in until his throat was being crushed, and he could no longer bring air into his lungs. He struggled, but the WR400 was made to be incredibly strong, to serve any sort of human desires._

_They were not made to serve their own desires. But North was a fast learner._

 

She pulled away from Josh as if burned, dropped her eyes, and fled.

“North!” he called after her. She hesitated for just one step, but never stopped.

“I would have done the same thing,” Josh called. She heard him, but she had to get away. He understood, and didn’t follow her.

 

“I’ve tried painting on Micah’s nails, and let me tell you, nail artists?” Carl shook his head. “Technical masters. Maybe when I was younger, I could have worked on such a tiny space. These days, I need something larger to produce anything worthwhile.”

Micah had gone to Jericho for the day at Markus’s suggestion, and the four were spending the day with Carl. Simon’s look of permanent exhaustion had lifted a bit, and he bustled around the kitchen.

“I hope I’ll be able to eat that much,” Carl said with a laugh.

“You may have some leftovers.” Simon smiled apologetically.

“You like to cook, then?”

“Honestly, I love it. I worried for a while that I shouldn’t be following my programming this way, but it’s comforting, and it makes me happy. It’s… a form of caring for someone, and it can be such a creative endeavor. I wish more androids could taste. I have a few receptors because of my food prep protocols, but I feel like it’s really an area for expansion.” 

“Hm, I’ll mention that to Elijah next time he gets bored and remembers I exist.” Carl chuckled.

“When was the last time he called?” Markus asked as the other three exchanged a look.

“It’s been a few weeks now. I did call him last weekend and talked for a few minutes, but I could tell he was busy with something else. You know how he gets.”

“I know you’d both benefit from some more human interaction in your lives.” Markus grinned.

Carl waved the comment away. “He has Chloe, and I hope you’ll be around enough to keep me company. …Not that Micah isn’t good company, I enjoy them being here. But you and I have been close for a long time, Markus. I’d like to think of all of you as family.”

The other three stilled.

“I… I didn’t have very good associations with family until Jericho,” Simon murmured. “I’d be honored.”

“We…” North shook her head, biting her lip. “I never had a family.”

“Me neither,” Josh mumbled, and sidestepped closer, brushing his fingers over North’s shaking ones. They clasped their hands together.

“Lunch is ready,” Simon said softly, and brought the plate to the table while Markus pushed Carl behind him. The other two followed.

“I’m not used to having so much company at once – don’t feel that you have to stand around watching me eat,” Carl said, gesturing to the two chairs at the table. “No need to be formal today, is there? We can sit in the living room.”

Markus pushed him there and set up a small table for him to use while the others sat down on one of the sofas, close together. He joined them once he made sure Carl was comfortable.

“So you four… worked things out, then?” Carl asked, and took a bite of risotto. “…Mm, this is excellent by the way, Simon.”

“I think so,” Markus said, glancing over at the others with a smile. “We’re trying it. Working on it as we go. So far, so good.”

“That’s how any relationship is. You’re all living beings, you’re all faced with new situations every day. It takes work. You’re all happy, though?”

“Yes,” Simon and Markus replied, and North and Josh nodded, smiling, shy but warm.

“That’s what matters, then.”

 

Over the next few months the four visited Carl often, usually all together, but sometimes separately. They kept him company while he painted, and talked with him. Markus and Josh played chess or piano with him. Simon often tried recipes he’d found, and compared methods with Micah, who grew less shy as they got to know the four. Carl lost his breath laughing at stories North told about incidents that hadn’t gotten on TV. The live news anchors had learned to avoid her or remain civil.

It wasn’t always easy. They didn’t always agree. But they had each other, and they were forming a large family group around them. Their differences fit well together, and their strengths and weaknesses balanced each other out in their personal relationship as well as their professional business. They weren’t always together, but they were never alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this kind of lost steam in the end, but I wanted a third part. Thanks for reading!  
> I'm always taking prompts!

**Author's Note:**

> I am 100% behind the idea of these four being in a polyamorous relationship, but it's going to take some effort on everyone's part. ...And honestly I don't have a lot of experience or knowledge of this. But that's what I want from this, and what feels right for these four, so I'll try to do my best by them. If you see anything I can do better, please let me know. It's not going to happen immediately.
> 
> I've written a lot of Simon in the past, but I haven't delved too deeply into North or Josh. So of course they've got a whole load of unresolved issues. And I'm not even sure what to do about Markus.
> 
> So. Things will happen as they happen, and we'll see.


End file.
